2013 NBA Mock Draft

ROUND 1

NO.

TEAM

PLAYER

POS

SCHOOL

YEAR

HT / WT

1.

Cleveland

Nerlens Noel

C

Kentucky

Fresh

6-11 / 225

Analysis: After losing LeBron 3 years ago and watching him now win 2 NBA titles, the Cavaliers can still be positive that they are getting back on the right track. They will continue to do so by making the safe pick and bringing Noel to Cleveland to guard the paint. A lot of recent mock drafts have propelled Alex Len to the top spot, but his style of play does not fit into what the Cavaliers have been trying to do the last few draft picks. They have picked up talented scoring guards to shoulder the offensive load, while taking big men that can help support the middle both on offense and defense. Len was a great college player, but we have not seen a lot of players with his skill set flourish in the NBA like a number one pick should. The Cavs will let someone else take that chance and grab Noel to clog the middle on defense and finish at hoop on offense.

2.

Orlando

Ben McLemore

SG

Kansas

Fresh

6-5 / 195

Analysis: With the second pick in the draft, Orlando will take Ben McLemore. This pick has looked more and more like Victor Oladipo out of Indiana, but is it really a good spot to be taking a defensive and hustle-minded SG when the need for that role is minimal in the NBA? Taking McLemore will greatly help the Orlando Magic stretch opposing teams defenses and give the rest of the Magic roster some room to breathe. The Magic have guys who can make the plays, but little star power to cause defenses to focus elsewhere. Let’s also not forget that McLemore is an amazing athlete as well who can only gain experience, and that will make for a dynamic NBA player.

3.

Washington

Otto Porter

SF

Georgetown

Soph

6-8 / 205

Analysis: Otto Porter has looked like a guy slotted for the Wizards in many mock drafts. Porter is considered one of the most sure bets among NBA scouts due to his versatility and development at Georgetown. He was relied on heavily as a Hoya and rarely let anyone down. All of these attributes will be important if he is taken by the Wizards. In Washington, the Wizards have selected talented players for their backcourt in John Wall and Bradley Beal, while trading and signing free agents to bolster their frontcourt. They have not had success in finding a SF that can fit this system and help the offense flow. Trading for Trevor Ariza was not the answer, nor was drafting a guy like Chris Singleton. While both of these players bring skills to the Wizards rotation, neither can be the guy that Otto Porter can for this offense.

4.

Charlotte

Alex Len

C

Maryland

Soph

7-1 / 240

Analysis: The Bobcats are not a team that can draft any single player and turn their franchise around. They have holes at multiple positions, even the ones they have drafted the last few years. Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist both look like they can be permanent fixtures in Charlotte due to their work ethic and competitiveness, but besides these two, the Bobcats need to find the best players available. Luckily with this pick, the Bobcats can select a guy that is both the best player available and can fit their needs. They have very little front court depth and certainly no one that forces opposing big men to work. Len has a unique situation in this draft because there are very few players to compare him to, but if he can continue to be effective like he was in college, he could be the best player in the draft class. It is hard to be entirely sold which is why he is not the first pick in the draft, but Charlotte should not let this potential slip through their fingers to satisfy both talent and need.

5.

Phoenix

Victor Oladipo

SG

Indiana

Junior

6-4 / 215

Analysis: Phoenix is another team that has some solid young talent, but lacks an identity. Most mock drafts have Oladipo going earlier and McLemore falling to the Suns, but Oladipo would be a much better fit for this young Suns team. He can come in and bring his intensity to the starting rotation immediately. He will have smart players around him that will help him learn the offense and his hustle play will come as a huge help. If he can formulate his own offense more consistently, this is another guy who will stand out for years to come as a great 2013 draft pick.

6.

New Orleans

Trey Burke

PG

Michigan

Soph

6-0 / 190

Analysis: Getting to watch Trey Burke for 3 straight weeks in March and April was enjoyable for any fan. He hit big shot after big shot to propel his team to the National Championship game. He overcame most doubts about his size, and still if he was a few inches taller he would be running away with the top spot in this draft. But what he doesn’t have with his size, he makes up for in his toughness and ability and willingness to take control of the game. Greivis Vasquez has been a really nice surprise at point guard for the Pelicans, but there is no one else in the backcourt that can feed the talented big men that New Orleans has acquired. Trey Burke is a guy who can create flow on offense through his distribution as well as score from anywhere on the floor. He loves the pick and roll game which will be dynamite with Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson. Best-case scenario, his ball skills and attention from the defense will also help free up other young players like Austin Rivers to knock down shots and develop.

7.

Sacramento

CJ McCollum

PG/SG

Lehigh

Senior

6-3 / 190

Analysis: Sacramento has drafted with very little direction over the last few years, it is time they select a player that is pure basketball player and can do it all – especially play PG and be the floor general. With talent like Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton, and DeMarcus Cousins, the most important play here for the Kings is to find somebody that can help mold this team and will just play basketball. McCollum deserves all of the comparisons he gets to Damian Lillard of last year because they are both big point guards who can control a game. McCollum has come off his college-ending injury well and has had several solid workouts for the Kings. If he’s around, the Kings will be looking to take him.

8.

Detroit

Anthony Bennett

SF/PF

UNLV

Fresh

6-7 / 240

Analysis: Anthony Bennett is another player that many have heard about, but not a whole lot saw play due to him not playing for a Power 6 team. UNLV played plenty of skilled competition though, and Bennett found ways to make himself seen and thrive. He is another guy like Otto Porter who has great versatility, but he still has a lot to learn about the game. If that happens, watch out! Detroit has done a good job strengthening their frontcourt, so if they take Bennett, look for him to be their SF. He will be a tough matchup for a lot of SF’s, but his ability to stretch the floor and score is exactly what Detroit needs at this point.

9.

Minnesota

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

SG

Georgia

Soph

6-5 / 205

Analysis: If Caldwell-Pope is not taken by the Timberwolves at this pick, he could easily slide another ten spots before someone wants to jump on him, but the Timberwolves have made it clear that with a PG like Rubio who can knife through defenses and distribute the ball incredibly well, he needs a SG sidekick that compensates for any of Rubio’s weaknesses. Caldwell-Pope has elite athelticism, size, and jump-shooting ability. These traits all translate well into him becoming a Timberwolf draft day. Most importantly, his ability to come off screens and catch and shoot makes him a better prospect for the Wolves than a player such as Shabazz Muhammad.

10.

Portland

Cody Zeller

C

Indiana

Soph

7-0 / 230

Analysis: Portland jumped on the center bandwagon with Meyers Leonard last year after selecting Damian Lillard earlier, but they could afford to take the risky pick with such a solid pick in Lillard. Now, they take another 7-foot center, except Zeller’s skill set and basketball mentality is much different than that of Leonards. Zeller has gotten the experience of being on a very solid Indiana team and watched his brother transition to the NBA. He knows what it takes to be successful in the NBA. His shortcomings in college were his lack of consistency, but pairing up with a frontcourt that has LaMarcus Aldridge will help out Zeller a lot. Aldridge is an athletic big guy who can face up and put the ball on the floor. Zeller will learn a lot from Aldridge and find ways to get playing time next to him.

11.

Philadelphia

Steven Adams

C

Pittsburgh

Fresh

7-0 / 255

Analysis: The run on centers continues with Steven Adams going to the 76ers. After the failing Bynum trade, the 76ers found themselves taking a big step back this year. They traded their most important player for a franchise center, and it didn’t and most likely will never pan out. It’s time to find some more size in the middle because Spencer Hawes is not enough. I’m sure the 76ers wish guys like Len and Zeller would slip, or that maybe it would be more reasonable to take a bruiser and sure-thing rotation player like Mason Plumlee, but for now the young Steven Adams seems like the best bet. Adams made some great improvements over the year as he still has a very young basketball mind, but the size and athleticism he possesses makes him dangerous and grant him huge potential.

12.

Oklahoma City

Kelly Olynyk

C

Gonzaga

Junior

7-0 / 235

Analysis: OKC gets to sit back and watch the players fall to them except this year their acquired pick is much higher. They wish their 2013 didn’t end as early as it did, but there’s not much you can do when you lose one of the best PG’s in the league midway through the playoffs. As unfortunate as it was, they still have a very solid roster and will be many people’s top pick in the West for the 2013/2014 season. The two positions they would like to add depth at is center and point guard. With a solid group of both of them in this year’s draft class, they are bound to improve, but they should address the center position first and the point guard position with their later pick. The Thunder will probably take whoever is left over from the run on centers, but that will most likely be Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk did not get as much national attention as he would have wanted with a 2nd round NCAA tournament exit, but nonetheless, his improvement throughout college was marveled at by most analysts, and they are right. He has a diverse set of skills for a center and is a student of the game.

13.

Dallas

Michael Carter-Williams

PG

Syracuse

Soph

6-6 / 185

Analysis: The Mavericks made a great attempt at rebuilding their team after their finals run, but injuries and lack of veteran leadership (outside of Dirk) made it too much. One of the more glaring holes on the team rested around the PG position. Bringing in a guy like MCW will help their team immensely. Dirk and OJ Mayo need a pass-first PG who can draw defenders and dish, and if that happens this team will be successful again. MCW has the best vision in college basketball and this gives him a huge edge at that position. He really found his game in the NCAA tournament, and scouts got to see who MCW could be in the NBA. Of course, this all could be trumped if Dallas trades down or tries to get Dwight Howard as that will for sure require this pick.

14.

Utah

Shane Larkin

PG

Miami

Soph

5-11 / 170

Analysis: Many were surprised to see Larkin throw his name in the pot for a PG-heavy NBA draft class, but he proved his worth at the combine and many team workouts. He has great work ethic and was the key to turning around Miami’s basketball program. He was an electric point guard who can both score and distribute. Utah has a glaring hole at point guard which needs to be filled. If any of the higher drafted PG’s slip, they would go with one of them, but here, Larkin is a solid for the Jazz as he can do it all from the PG position despite probably being the smallest guy on the court.

15.

Milwaukee

Shabazz Muhammad

SG/SF

UCLA

Fresh

6-6 / 225

Analysis: Every year the Bucks try to find a way to win as many games as possible. They have rarely taken the approach of clearing house and starting over. With promising talent from Larry Sanders and John Henson, they will not shy away from this mentality. Monta Ellis is most likely gone, but the Bucks still have one more chance to keep Brandon Jennings. Bringing in a guy like Shabazz Muhammad does not seem to be on a lot of draft analysts radars, but this is a high-risk pick for the Bucks system that just might work out. Muhammad is a dynamic scorer who still has a lot to learn, but his body is NBA ready and he can slide into either the 2 or 3 for the Bucks. Muhammad is a name that many NBA scouts are divided on, so it’s hard to predict where he’ll land, but if he’s available here, the Bucks might take this chance.

16.

Boston

Dennis Schroeder

PG

Germany

INT

6-2 / 170

Analysis: The Celtics have not officially entered rebuilding mode. Taking a high-reward player from overseas could help them land a star for the future while not getting in the way of rebuilding mode. There will be no hurry to develop a player like Schroder in Boston, but when he gets there, the sharpshooting PG will learn from one of the best PG’s at breaking down defenses in Rajon Rondo. They could both conceivably play together with their combined size, but at this point the Celtics are just trying to find talent for the future and that’s the most improtant thing about the Schroeder pick.

17.

Atlanta

Giannis Adetokoubo

SF

Greece

INT

6-9 / 205

Analysis: With back to back picks and coming off a fairly successful season in the face of injury and team turnover, Atlanta can afford to swing for the fences with this Greek prospect. Adetokoubo is far from NBA ready at only 18 years old, but his athleticism is through the roof and his ball skills at 6-9 are very desireable. He can fit many needs for Atlanta in a few years, but at this point he’s a solid pick that can grow and might end up being a big steal.

18.

Atlanta

Tim Hardaway Jr.

SG

Michigan

Junior

6-6 / 190

Analysis: This is a safe pick for Atlanta who can use the backcourt depth from both a scoring and athleticism standpoint. Hardaway Jr.’s play was inconsistent down the stretch, but his scoring ability and size are already at the NBA level, he just needs to find more of his niche within an NBA offense.

19.

Cleveland

Sergey Karasev

SF

Russia

INT

6-7 / 200

Analysis: Cleveland has had a lot of 1st round draft picks the last few years after losing LBJ, now they can get another prospect except at this point they can leave Karasev overseas for a few years where his development won’t be infringed upon. SF is still one of the positions that the Cavaliers need, so he will eventually be a big help to the Cavs in their rebuilding process.

20.

Chicago

Lucas Nogueira

C

Brazil

INT

7-0 / 220

Analysis: The good news for the Bulls is that they had a successful year despite not having Derrick Rose. And now that Rose is expected to be back, the Bulls can only improve. Nogueira’s name has been thrown about for the last two years and while it’s possible he’s still not ready to come to the NBA, he will help Chicago’s frontcourt improve defensively with his length. After Joakin Noah and Carolos Boozer, the Bulls are lacking frontcourt depth. They’ll be able to find wing depth later on in the draft, but Nogueira should be a good pick up here for Chicago.

21.

Utah

Mason Plumlee

C

Duke

Senior

6-11 / 240

Analysis: Plumlee had a very successful career at Duke and because he stuck around, his body and game is more NBA-ready than many of his center counterparts in this draft. Though his upside is not as high as others, he has developed a great feel for the game and can immediately help Utah out especially if they lose Paul Millsap and/or Al Jefferson

22.

Brooklyn

Tony Snell

SF

New Mexico

Junior

6-7 / 200

Analysis: The Nets could use another swingman to help out their rotation. Snell comes from a smaller school, but he was able to get some solid national exposure with New Mexico’s success. He is an elite athlete with great size and a solid shooting stroke. His intensity can be lacking at sometimes, and he did not often play against elite competition, so some of his skills have yet to be fully tested. Nonentheless, he has the tools to help out the Nets at a struggling position, and I’m sure he will learn a lot from new Nets coach, Jason Kidd.

23.

Indiana

Isaiah Canaan

PG

Murray State

Senior

6-1 / 200

Analysis: George Hill and DJ Augustin have been a solid combo at the PG position for Indiana, but picking the experienced and hard-nosed Canaan can only help the Pacers improve. Canaan may only be around 6 feet tall, but he has a great wingspan and can jump out of the gym. On top of that, he’s very strong which will help improve the Pacers defense at this position. Most importantly Canaan can shoot the lights out, which is a great attribute to have in a PG in the Pacers offense where multiple players handle the ball and bring it up court. The Pacers could easily go for a center to help strengthen their frontcourt, but an experienced PG like Canaan is tough to find.

24.

New York

Tony Mitchell

PF

North Texas

Soph

6-8 / 235

Analysis: Tony Mitchell has garnered split opinions from NBA scouts and after looking at him play his Freshmen and Sophomore years, it’s easy to see why. He is an athletic freak who finds himself making smart plays at times while looking lost on the floor at others. While the Knicks could use some depth elsewhere, this could be a great pick for them in the long run. They have players that can score now, so Mitchell can ease his way into the offensive rotation while making a difference with his athelticism for the time-being.

25.

LA Clippers

Jamaal Franklin

SG

San Diego St.

Junior

6-5 / 190

Analysis: Jamaal Franklin should not be passed up by the Clippers on account of he’s the athletic backcourt presence they could really use. The Clippers have seen Jamal Crawford and Caron Butler exercise their offensive skills within the Clippers rotation, but Franklin brings a more well-rounded set of skills to the table and will help them out defensively as well. He led San Diego State in points, rebounds, assists, and steals so he definitely has the potential to help the Clippers out however possible.

26.

Minnesota

Gorgui Dieng

C

Louisville

Junior

6-11 / 230

Analysis: Dieng is ready to make the move to the NBA after being on several consecutive successful Louisville teams. He has been guarding the paint since he arrived on campus and Minnesota could use another big man especially a more defensive-minded one. Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic are both offensive-minded and have had a tough time staying on the floor, so this should help out their frontcourt depth especially after addressing SG earlier in the round.

27.

Denver

Allen Crabbe

SG

California

Senior

6-6 / 197

Analysis: Denver is in desparate need of an elite shooter. The Nuggets have great athletes, defenders, and players who can put the ball on the floor, but they still need guys that can hit the open shot. We saw how they struggled against smaller teams that could open up the floor against them. Crabbe made a living knocking down jumpers at Cal and definitely deserves a first-round nod from a team like the Nuggets. He has spent plenty of his college career developing his game and has the experience now to make the jump. His size is great too, as the Nuggets will continue to have superior size to their opponents.

28.

San Antonio

Rudy Gobert

C

France

INT

7-2 / 240

Analysis: Gobert is just to big for NBA scouts to avoid looking at, and what better team to snatch him up than the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs showed this year that they are clearly still elite and have enough juice to make NBA playoff runs. Grabbing a guy they can stash away in Europe for a few years is not a bad idea and could definitely help them in the long run. The Spurs have solidified a solid backcourt rotation and while Duncan still looks like he has a few years left, you never know when it’s going to be time to rebuild. The Spurs need to ready themselves for this time by loading up with size and talent up front.

29.

Oklahoma City

Erick Green

PG/SG

Virginia Tech

Senior

6-3 / 180

Analysis: Erick Green dominated the scoring category not only in the ACC, but in the entire NCAA. He was able to play PG for Virginia Tech, while maintaining a shoot-first mentality. He did not have a ton of talent around him, but that does not mean the potential for him to continue to be a dual-threat PG isn’t there. OKC is still looking for another backcourt scorer since the departure of James Harden. Jeremy Lamb and Kevin Martin are both serviceable, but picking up Green as a guy who can play behind Russell Westbrook as well as get some playing time next to him would not hurt. The Thunder were able to satisfy some depth up front with their first pick in this round, now they can address the backcourt depth.

30.

Phoenix

Jeff Withey

C

Kansas

Senior

7-0 / 220

Analysis: Withey surpassed most of his big men predecessors at Kansas with an amazing Jayhawk career. He simply dominated the post on both ends of the floor especially his Senior year. His footwork and ability to find himself in the right position seemed to improve on a game by game basis. With Gortat’s future in Phoenix in question and not much depth beyond him, the Suns could be helped out a lot by adding a solid NBA-ready Withey to their rotation. His upside isn’t spectacular, but he will find a way to alter shots and get a few buckets on the offensive end.

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